Papaver plant named ‘Inferno’

ABSTRACT

A distinct cultivar of  Papaver  plant named ‘Inferno’, characterized by its upright and relatively compact plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely flowering habit; and large flowers with intense red-colored petals.

Botanical designation: Papaver orientale.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Inferno’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Papaver plant, botanically known as Papaver orientale, commercially referred to as Oriental Poppy, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Inferno.

The new Papaver is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Rijpwetering, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to develop new Papaver cultivars with compact plant habit and numerous flowers.

The new Papaver originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in 2000 of two unnamed selections of Papaver orientale, not patented. The new Papaver was discovered and selected by the Inventor in 2001 in a controlled environment in Rijpwetering, The Netherlands, from the resultant progeny of the stated cross-pollination on the basis of its compact plant habit, double flowers and flower color.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by cuttings at Rijpwetering, The Netherlands since 2001, has shown that the unique features of this new Papaver are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Inferno have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Inferno’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Inferno’ as a new and distinct Papaver cultivar:

-   -   1. Upright and relatively compact plant habit.     -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. Large single flowers within tense red-colored petals.

Plants of the cultivar Inferno differ from plants of the parent selections and other Papaver cultivars known to the Inventor, such as the cultivar John III, not patented, in plant height as plants of the new Papaver are more compact than plants of the parent selections and other cultivars known to the Inventor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the actual colors of the new Papaver.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a close-up view of a typical flower of ‘Inferno’.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical leaf of ‘Inferno’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants used for the abovementioned photographs and following observations and measurements were grown in an outdoor nursery in Roelofarendsveen, The Netherlands, and under conditions which closely approximate commercial production conditions during the spring and summer. The photographs, measurements and observations were taken during June when the plants were about one year old. During this time, day temperatures ranged from 14 to 27° C. and night temperatures ranged from 7 to 16° C.

-   Botanical classification: Papaver orientale cultivar Inferno. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed selection of Papaver             orientale, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed selection of Papaver             orientale, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By cuttings.         -   Time to develop roots.—About 90 days at 18° C.         -   Root description.—Fleshy, thick; light brown to white in             color. -   Plant description:     -   -   Form.—Herbaceous perennial flowering plant; mostly upright;             narrow inverted triangle. Basally branching, rosette;             flowering stems arise from the base. Moderately vigorous.         -   Plant height.—About 61 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 45 cm.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate; simple. Shape:             Lanceolate, pinnately and deeply dissected. Length: About             27.4 cm. Width: About 9.3 cm. Leaf segment shape:             Lanceolate; mid-section and base, pinnatisect; apex,             pinnatifid. Leaf segment apex: Acute. Leaf segment base:             Cuneate. Leaf segment margin: Serrate; occasionally             biserrate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent;             very rough. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color: Developing             foliage, upper surface: 144A to 144B. Developing foliage,             lower surface: 144B. Fully expanded foliage, upper surface:             137A. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 138A. Venation,             upper surface: 138C to 138D. Venation, lower surface: 143A             to 143B. Petioles: Length: Basal leaves, about 13.3 cm; stem             leaves, about 1 cm. Diameter: About 7 mm. Color: 144B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single rotate flowers; flowers             terminal and face mostly upright. Flowers not persistent.             One flower per flowering stem.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower continuously from             June to early July in The Netherlands.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About three days.         -   Flower size.—Diameter: About 11.3 cm. Depth (height): About             5.1 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 4.3 cm. Diameter: About 2.1 cm.             Shape: Ovoid. Texture: Pubescent; rough. Color: 143A tinted             with N186A.         -   Petals.—Arrangement/appearance: Rotate; about four petals             forming a cup-shaped corolla. Length: About 8.5 cm. Width:             About 8.9 cm. Shape: Broadly obovate to reniform. Apex:             Rounded to irregular praemorse; slightly ruffled. Margin:             Entire; slightly ruffled. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth; glabrous. Color: When opening, upper surface: 40A to             44A; towards the base, 185A; basal spots and stripe, 202A.             When opening, lower surface: 44A to 44B; towards the base,             187A to 187B; basal spots, 202A. Fully opened, upper             surface: 44B; towards the base, 185A; basal spots and             stripe, 202A. Fully opened, lower surface: 44A to 44B;             towards the base, 187A to 187B; basal spots, 202A.         -   Sepals.—Quantity: About three. Length: About 3.3 cm. Width:             About 7 mm. Shape: Narrowly ovate. Apex: Acute. Margin:             Serrate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Densely             pubescent. Color, upper surface: 143A. Color, lower surface:             137D.         -   Flowering stems (peduncles).—Length: About 55.9 cm.             Diameter: About 7 mm. Internode length: About 10.7 cm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect. Texture: Pubescent; rough.             Color: 144A to 144B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Numerous,             typically about 250. Stamen length: About 2.4 cm. Anther             shape: Narrowly oblong; basifixed. Anther length: About             3 mm. Anther color: N187A. Filament length: About 2.1 cm.             Filament color: 187A; towards the base, 155D. Pollen amount:             Scarce. Pollen color: Between 197A and 202A. Pistils:             Quantity per flower: About eleven. Pistil length: About             1.1 cm. Stigma shape: Narrowly oblong, flat. Stigma color:             Between 186A and 200A. Ovary color: 138A.         -   Fruits.—Quantity per flower: One. Type: Capsule. Length:             About 2.4 cm. Diameter: About 2 cm. Color: 136A to 137A.         -   Seeds.—Quantity per fruit: About 900. Length: About 1 mm.             Diameter: About 1 mm. Color: Closest to 202A to 202B. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Papaver have not been     noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Papaver. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Papaver have been observed     to tolerate temperatures from −25 to 40° C. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Papaver plant named ‘Inferno’, as illustrated and described. 